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Mouat and Whiteford Anthropology Research Fund
Up to $2,500 may be available for student and faculty collaborative research projects in anthropology.
Purpose
The Mouat and Whiteford Endowed Research Fund supports and enhances the Logan Museum’s contribution to the educational mission of Beloit College. The Fund’s primary purpose is to support student and faculty collaborative research.
The research should be anthropological, carried out either in the collections of the Logan Museum or any other qualified museum, or it may be done in the field. Research in Latin America is particularly encouraged.
The Fund may also be used to pay for student travel and expenses associated with professional conferences related to these research activities.
Funding Available
Up to $2,500 may be available for research projects over the course of a student’s academic career at Beloit College. As the endowment principal grows, and as interest income from the fund varies, funds available for grants will vary.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant, a Beloit College student must:
- be a sophomore, junior, or senior
- be an anthropology major or an anthropology or museum studies minor
- have at least a 3.0 GPA in anthropology courses. Transfer students should include an unofficial transcript from their previous institution(s) for their anthropology GPA calculations.
Application Procedure
Applications are accepted throughout the academic year but must be submitted at least four weeks in advance of the project start date to allow sufficient time for the review process.
A student interested in applying for funding should complete and submit a form. Application forms are available in the Department of Anthropology and the Logan Museum. A digital application is also available.
The application must be complete; a complete application consists of the project description narrative, itemized budget, two support letters (one from the collaborating faculty member), and an unofficial current transcript. For conference participation applications, only one letter of support is needed.
It is strongly recommended that you consult with your academic advisor to discuss your project well in advance of submitting your application.
The applicant will be notified of the award decision within two weeks of submission of the completed application.
Final Reports/Project Completion
Successful applicants will be required to report on their projects by means of a conference or public presentation, symposium, exhibit, website, or other final report. Proof of participation and/or presentation at an off-campus site must be provided when receipts are submitted.
Proof of your role in the event can be in the form of a conference program, correspondence with organizers of the event, photos, or some other form of documentation that substantiates your role in the event.
Additional Details
Proposals will be reviewed by a committee consisting of Logan Museum staff members and Department of Anthropology faculty members. Award criteria are based on the purposes of the Fund:
- The project should be developed in collaboration with a faculty member.
- The project must be based on anthropological research.
- The project should be conducted in the Logan Museum, another museum, or in the field (library-based projects are not eligible).
- Proposals for research on all areas and anthropological topics are welcome, though research in Latin America is particularly encouraged.
The committee will rank the proposals on the basis of:
- Adherence to the above criteria.
- Clarity of the proposal.
- The student’s academic record.
- Strength of the support letters.
Partial funding may be provided depending on available funds and the number of worthy proposals. Cost-sharing with other on- or off-campus funding sources is strongly encouraged.
Funds may be used for research expenses, travel, and attendance at conferences to present research results. Funds can support research to be conducted through Special Projects, Honor’s Terms, field schools, other courses, or independent study. Research collaborators can include off-campus individuals, but an on-campus faculty collaborator also must be identified.
Funds will pay for the reasonable, documented expenses incurred by the student while performing official College activities, in compliance with Beloit College Accounting Policies, as detailed on the accounting department’s website and summarized on the “Documenting Travel Expenses” section of the application form.
No funds may be used for any activities that occur after a student’s graduation or other separation from the College, including vacation terms.
If requested by the recipient, cash advances of up to one half of a research award, and up to the full amount of a conference participation award, may be provided. Cash advances are disbursed out of the award recipient’s student account and may result in a bill being generated by the accounting office for the amount of the advance.
The recipient will be responsible for repayment of the advance if the conditions for reimbursement are not met. Reimbursement will take place upon submission of receipts, completion of the Beloit College Employee Expense Reimbursement Form (found on the Accounting Department’s website), and completion of the project, as agreed upon by the award recipient and collaborator
Background
Generous gifts have established the Mouat and Whiteford Endowed Research Fund in honor of two individuals: Andrew “Bud” Whiteford, a 1937 alumnus of Beloit College, longtime Director of the Logan Museum, and Professor of Anthropology from 1943 to 1974; and Malcolm Mouat, member and Chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, prominent Janesville attorney, and philanthropist.
The fund honors Bud Whiteford’s leadership of the Department of Anthropology and the Logan Museum and the great contribution to his research made by Malcolm Mouat, who provided financial support for Professor Whiteford’s expeditions to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and also served as his traveling companion and research colleague on those trips.